Sunrise Rotary earns Silver Bell

Red Hatters

Courtesy photo by Michael Matsuda

The Red Hatters senior group recently took an educational and cultural tour of the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank. Museum owner Michael Matsuda gave members a personal tour of the museum highlighting the impact that Asian culture and tradition have had on American society.

The Red Hatters senior group recently took an educational and cultural tour of the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank. Museum owner Michael Matsuda gave members a personal tour of the museum highlighting the impact that Asian culture and tradition have had on American society. (Courtesy photo by Michael Matsuda)

Rotary International’s coveted Silver Bell award was presented to Burbank Sunrise Rotary for being the best small club in its 33-club district for the past year. The presentation was made at the Rotary District 5260 Conference in North Hollywood in June.

District Governor Tom Hardy presented the award to club President Rod Gregson in recognition of outstanding achievement for the club's hard work in numerous areas of Rotary endeavors. In addition, Gregson was presented with the Changemaker Award for the club. He was one of only seven people in the district to be so awarded.

The club met demanding criteria in all five of Rotary's Avenues of Service. It also was given a “100% Paul Harris Fellow Club” banner for everybody in the club being a Paul Harris Fellow, an award given for donating money for Rotary International's Polio Plus program.

Burbank high school and college students have received scholarships from the Glendale Area Alumnae Panhellenic, a nonprofit organization of sorority alumnae volunteer women.

Awards are given annually to eligible area high school senior girls and college women who are planning to attend a four-year college or university in the fall.

The college recipient from Burbank is Celina Rodriguez, a member of Alpha Delta Pi at Duke University, majoring in public policy.

The high school recipients from Burbank are Alyssa Ehredt, a graduate of Burroughs High School, who will attend Cal State Fresno; Elizabeth Pascual, a graduate of Burroughs High School, who will attend Cal State San Diego; and Valery Vasquez, a graduate of Burbank High School, who will attend Stanford University.

Orochon Ramen, a Japanese ramen restaurant, opened for business in the Burbank Town Center with a ribbon-cutting on June 24.

Mayor Dave Golonski and his son, John, attended the grand opening event along with about 100 of the restaurant’s fans.

Orochon means “the brave” in Ainu, the language of an indigenous people in northern Japan. Orochon Ramen is known for its intensely spicy Special #2 Challenge and was featured on the “Man vs. Food” television show, which is still being shown in reruns on the Travel Channel. Only about 200 out of 20,000 customers have been able to eat the entire bowl of ramen noodles and the spiciest soup to the last sip in 30 minutes. If one is able to complete the challenge, the tab is on the house.